Be Brave
by WeArePioneers
Summary: "Toby." A smile turns up my lips. "I.. I missed you. So much."
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hey, y'all! I am so so, sorry that I haven't updated in like two years! Life's been crazy for me lately. I can't make any promises, but I'll try to update as often as I can. I know this plot has been used a lot, but it's something I've been working on for a while. If you've read (and loved) Divergent, then you most likely know Tobias Eaton, also known as the infamous Four. But what would Divergent be like if Four had a little sister? I'll shut up and let you find out.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. I don't own The Hunger Games. I don't own Divergent. *sigh***

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><p><em>Two Years Ago<em>

"Should we say grace?" I ask Tobias as I sit down next to him.

He thinks about it for a minute, then shakes his head. "Nah, Dad's not here." I nod. He grabs the serving bowl and scoops half of the peas onto his plate, then passes the bowl to me. He hands me a piece of bread and I grab my own chicken breast.

We're both quiet for a few minutes as we're eating. When Tobias pauses to take a sip of his water, I decide to speak. "So… the aptitude tests were today." The aptitude tests are given to every sixteen-year-old in all of the factions. They tell the sixteen-year-olds what faction they have the most aptitude for - Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Erudite, or Dauntless. Then tomorrow, at the Choosing Ceremony, they decide on which faction they want to become. Tobias is sixteen, so he took the aptitude test.

He nods. "Yeah."

"What did you get?" I ask. He doesn't answer and I wasn't expecting him to. You're supposed to keep your results to yourself. Silence falls over us again for another handful of minutes. I push my peas around with my spoon. "You're thinking about leaving." It's not a question. Tobias has been thinking about leaving - leaving Abnegation, leaving our horrible, horrible father.

"I'm not going to," He mutters, tearing a piece of his bread off anFourd eating it. "I can't."

"Why can't you?" I ask, though I already know his reply.

He gives me a look. "You know good and well why I'm not leaving."

"Yeah, I do." I drop my spoon and it lands on my plate with a loud clatter. "And it's stupid. You shouldn't stay here just because I'm here, Toby."

"You're a stupid reason for me to stay?" He raises an eyebrow. "Lucy, you're the only person I care about - well, the only live person I care about. That's not a good enough reason for me to stay?"

I shake my head. "No! The only thing you'll do if you stay is make yourself miserable! I want you to get out of here."

"Well, I'm not gonna leave without you," He argues.

"Yes, you are," I say, giving him a look. When he opens his mouth to speak, I cut him off, "I'm fourteen, Toby. You leave tomorrow and in two years, I'll leave, too."

Tobias glares at me, but stays silent for the rest of dinner. It isn't until we're getting ready to go to bed that he speaks up. "Lucy," He says, leaning against the wall between our bedrooms. "I'll make you a deal… If I leave tomorrow, then when you're sixteen, you have to leave."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "You think I'm staying in this… living hell?" When he smiles, I do as well. "Nothing in this world could make me wanna stay here."

"Good." He pulls me into a hug. I hug him back. "Love you, Lucy."

"Love you, too, Toby." When we pull away, I ask, "Can I… stay with you? At least until Dad comes back? I… I wanna spend one last night with you before you leave."

"Of course." He pushes his bedroom door open. "C'mon."

The next day, at the Choosing Ceremony, Tobias chooses Dauntless. I feel a slight pang of sadness when his blood drips over the Dauntless coals, but it quickly vanishes. Before he leaves, I catch his eye. He grins at me and I grin back. Then he's gone.

That night, Dad is furious. His screaming and yelling makes my ears hurt. I'm blamed for my brother leaving and I get beaten because of it. My body is bruised, bandaged, and sore when I crawl into bed. But I fall asleep with a smile on my face, feeling a sense of relief that I've never felt before.

Tobias is safe.

Tobias is safe and, two years from now, I will be, too.

I'm already counting down the days until I become the second Eaton to leave Abnegation.

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><p><strong>AN: How is that? I'll try to update this soon, as well as my other stories (I'm already working on A New Home). Don't forget to review!**


	2. Aptitude Tests

**A/N: Woohoo! Two chapters in one day! This almost never happens!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I didn't get ownership of Divergent for Christmas. :(**

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><p><em>Present Day<em>

My body feels like it's been ran over by a train when I wake up. Dad had been particularly violent last night, which I guess I understand. Today is the day of the aptitude tests - my aptitude test. His violence was a way of telling me that I'd better not think about choosing any faction other than Abnegation.

My back is covered with long red marks that look clearly like belt marks, some of which are bleeding. My stomach and sides are an ugly painting of green, black, blue, purple, and yellow. My back stings when I stand under the spray of the shower as I do my best to clean myself up. Dad is nowhere to be seen. He went to work early this morning, something I'm grateful for. I grab a pair of shears and slide back the panel in the upstairs hallway. Behind it is the only mirror in the house - the only mirror in every Abnegation house. Other factions are allowed to have as many mirrors as they want and are allowed to stand in front of them as long as they want to, but not in Abnegation. I'm only allowed to stand in front of the mirror on the second day of every third month - the day I cut my hair.

My mom used to cut mine and my brother's hair for us up until she passed away when I was six years old. Then my brother Tobias would cut my hair and I'd cut his hair. After he left, two years ago, I started cutting my own hair. I never let my father cut my hair - he always does unevenly and I'd always end up with nicked ears and small cuts along the back of my neck.

My hair is super-curly so I cut it while it's still wet from my shower and straight. When it's dry and I've finished cutting, I carefully twist it into a bun. Then I look at myself.

I gasp when I lift my eyes to the mirror and see an image of Tobias instead of myself. Tall - he's always been taller than me - and wearing Dauntless black instead of the traditional grey of our faction. His hair just slightly longer than the Abnegation regulations for how long a man's hair is allowed to be. The only thing that's unchanged about this mirror Tobias is his eyes. An unusual dark blue - the same color and same shade as my own eyes.

I reach out to touch him and see him do the same. Then the image disappears, leaving me all alone, touching the mirror. Tears form in my eyes and the scissors fall out of my hands. The mirror image falls to her knees at the same time I do.

"One more day," I whisper to myself, trying and failing to hold back sobs. "One more day and then you're out of here. Tomorrow, you'll get to see him again." The last words we said to each other revolve around in my head.

_ "You sure about this?" The roar of people around us make it hard for me to hear Tobias's whisper. "I don't have to go if you don't want me to."_

_ "I'm not backing out that easily," I tell Toby. "I still want you to go."_

_ He glances around the giant room, then pulls me into a hug. "Goodbye," He whispers in my ear. "I love you, Lucy."_

_ "I love you too, Toby," I whisper back. When we both pull away, I add, "I'll see you two years from now."_

_ His smile makes me smile as well. "I'll see you two years from now, too." Then he goes to take his place with the other sixteen-year-olds._

The past two years have been hard. To this day, my dad still blames me for Tobias leaving and I still get beaten as a punishment for convincing him to do so. Sometimes I have to force myself to just get out of bed in the morning. The only thing that keeps me going is mine and Tobias's deal. My wait is almost over. I'm almost out of the woods.

I slide the panel back over the mirror, then head downstairs to make myself breakfast. I can't wait to go to school. I can't wait for the aptitude tests.

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><p>"Today, each of you will given an aptitude test," Mrs. Sanders, an Erudite teacher in a blue suit tells the cafeteria full of sixteen-year-olds. "The test will ask you a series of questions which will lead you to find the faction you have the most aptitude for. You will be called in groups of ten - two people per faction. After your tests, you will come back to the cafeteria and once everyone is tested, you will be allowed to leave. Does anyone have any questions?"<p>

No one speaks up, not even anyone from Erudite, which surprises me somewhat. The Erudite always ask questions, to assist in their endless pursuit of knowledge.

An Abnegation volunteer steps forward and announces the first round of names. Two boys in grey sitting at my table stand up. I watch them join an almost uniform line of two black, two blue, two yellow and red, and two black and white.

I fold my hands in my lap and study the wood grains in the table. I hear laughing, talking, and even singing from the tables around me. But the people sitting at the same table as I am and the table next to us remain silent. It's pretty boring - sitting around, doing nothing - but the customs of our faction prevent us from doing anything else.

It seems like forever before I hear: "From Abnegation: Benjamin Collins and Lucille Eaton." I have to force myself to remain calm and not show my excitement as I get up.

I look up as I walk into room 6, then look down immediately. The walls of the testing room I'm in are composed of mirrors. Instead I focus on what looks like a dentist's chair and the machine next to it. A twinge of fear fills me for a moment before I shake it off.

"Have a seat and get comfortable," My test administrator - a Dauntless woman with black hair - tells me. "My name is Tori."

I quickly sit in the chair and get settled while Tori fiddles with the machine. With her turned away from me, I see a black-and-white hawk with a red eye tattooed on the back of her neck. I open my mouth to ask what it means, then shut it. I am not supposed to be curious - it is a betrayal of Abnegation values

"You're awfully quiet," She comments, pressing an electrode to my forehead. I just nod, not sure whether or not I should say anything. She hums as she attaches another electrode to my forehead, then one to her forehead. "I tested your brother," She says as she attaches wires to me, her, the machine. "He was just as quiet." Then she picks up a vial of clear liquid and hands it to me. "Drink this."

I examine it, then look up at her. "What is this?"

"Now you talk." She smirks slightly. "Can't tell you. Just trust me."

I tilt the vial and drink it as fast as I can. My eyes close before I can give her the vial back.

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><p>When my eyes open again, I'm no longer in the testing room. I'm in the cafeteria. The tables are empty and the room is devoid of people. Through the glass walls, I see it's snowing despite the fact that it's summer. I turn and run into a table. This table has two baskets - one holds a large chunk of cheese, the other a wicked-looking knife as long as my forearm.<p>

"Choose." A woman's voice says from behind me. I jump.

"Why?" I turn around, but there's no one there.

"Choose," She repeats. I pick up the knife and feel a sense of danger when I do. The baskets vanish. I hear a door squeak and some growling. There's a dog on the other side of the room when I turn around. It barks and the hair on the back of my neck stands on end.

The dog charges. Instincts take over. I side-step and slash at it with the knife. The dog runs right into the table, then jumps back. Its dark brown coat shines with blood and I see a jagged cut along its back from where I hit it. The dog whimpers and lays on its stomach. Instantly, I feel bad.

"Oh, you poor thing." Without thinking, I drop the knife and kneel next to the dog. The dog looks up at me with begging eyes. I take my outer shirt off and press it to the cut on the dog's back and it's almost immediately stained with blood. "It's okay," I murmur when the dog whimpers. "I'm so sorry." I pat its head gently.

I almost forget that I'm still in the test until I hear a door squeaking open again. I turn slowly, expecting another dog, but it's not. It's a little girl in a white dress. "Puppy!" She squeals, holding her arms out.

_"No!"_ I shout when she starts running towards me, but it's too late. The dog - which was laying, hurt, next to me just a moment ago - is now up. My outer shirt falls on the floor when it rushes at the little girl, barking and snapping. I don't think; I chase after the dog. When I get close enough, I jump on it, forcing its mouth shut with my hands.

The dog and the girl disappear. I hit the ground, groaning in pain when I land on my bruised stomach. When I stand up, I find I'm in the testing room again. I try to keep my eyes away from the mirror, but stop and turn in a slow circle when I realize something.

I can't see my reflection in any of the mirrors.

I walk out into the hallway, only to find it isn't a hallway - it's a bus and all the seats are taken. I go to walk down the aisle and end up tripping over my pants. I get up and stumble again - this time into a newspaper.

"S-sorry," I stutter, darting away. I go to say something else, but stop. I can't see the face of the man I stumbled into, but I can see his hands. The scars on them remind me of the scars on my back, but they aren't from being hit with a belt. They are burn scars.

"Do you know this guy?" The man asks me. One long finger - with burn scars wrapping around it like wisps of smoke - taps the front page of the newspaper. "Brutal Murderer Finally Apprehended!" is the headline. I shiver at the word "murderer."_ "This isn't real,"_ I tell myself. _"It's just a test."_

Under the headline is a picture of a man with a beard. The picture brings a twinge of recognition, though I've never seen the man in my entire life. I feel like I shouldn't tell the man I recognize him.

"Well?" He asks and he sounds angry. "Do you?" Definitely shouldn't tell him.

"Nope," I lie, trying to act casual. "Never seen him before."

The man tosses the newspaper to the side and stands up. I see his face and force myself not to react. He's wearing sunglasses, so I can't see his eyes, and his mouth is twisted in an angry scowl. But that isn't what surprises me; it's his cheek, which scarred with burns just like his hands. He leans forward so that he's right in my face. The strong smell of cigarettes on his breath makes me cough. _"Just a test,"_ I tell myself. _"Just a test!"_

"You're lying!" He accuses me. "You're lying!"

"No, I'm not," I say, mustering up the placid demeanor of the Abnegation.

"You are! I can see it you eyes!"

"You can't."

"If you know him," He says, raising his voice, "you could _save_ me!"

"Well, " I say, putting on my best look of innocence, "I'd love to say I do, but… I don't."


	3. An Easy Choice

**A/N: Woohoo! Three chapters in two days! This never happens!**

**Disclaimer: I'm running out of sarcastic ways to say that I don't own Divergent. Or any of the things I write fanfic about for that matter.**

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><p>I awake with a gasp. My hands clutch the chair's armrests and it takes me a moment to remember where I am.<p>

"Well." Tori purses her lips. "That was… interesting." She pulls the electrode off her head, then off mine. "Stay right here," She tells me.

I'll… be right back." She quickly walks out of the room, leaving me perplexed and staring after her.

I'm looking at my feet when she returns a few minutes later. "What're my results?" I ask curiously as soon as she shuts the door.

"Lucille," She says with a calm, yet serious tone, "your test results were inconclusive. Typically, each stage of the simulation eliminates one or more of the factions, but in your case, only three have been ruled out."

I stare at her as the words click into place. "Only three…?" I know what that means, but I want her to confirm it.

"You selected the knife - which is something Dauntless would do," Tori starts to explain, "but when the dog ran into the table after you hit it, you went to its aide, which is an Abnegation-oriented response. You refused to tell the man the truth, which ruled out Candor." She smirks slightly. "But don't worry about that. Only the Candor tell the truth in that one.

I smirk as well.

"Wait, that's not entirely true. " Her smile turns into a frown. "People who tell the truth are the Candor… and the Abnegation. Which gives us a problem."

My eyes widen.

"Treating the dog when after it was injured, as well as throwing yourself on the dog rather than letting it attack the little girl are both Abnegation-oriented responses… but so is telling the truth." A lock of dark hair falls into her face when she shakes her head. "Stabbing the dog is a Dauntless response, as is jumping on it…"

My smile falls from my face. "Does that mean…"

"You display equal aptitude for Abnegation and Dauntless." She looks towards the door cautiously, as if expecting someone to come barging in unexpectedly. "People who get this type of result are called…" She lowers her voice to a whisper… "Divergent."

I _knew it_. I just _knew it_!

"Lucille," Tori kneels next to the chair so that we are face-to-face, "under no circumstances should you share this information with anyone - never, _ever_, no matter what happens. Divergence is extremely dangerous. Do you understand?"

I nod - my father told me about this.

"If anyone asks your results - and no one should - I entered Dauntless into the system." She pats my knee. "You should go now."

And I do. I walk out of the testing room and to cafeteria without looking back. I reclaim my seat and study the table's wood grains once more. Apparently, I was sitting there for almost forever, because the final group is called in after I sit down.

When they walk out ten minutes later, Mrs. Sanders appears once more. "The aptitude tests are now done," She announces. "Remember that you are not allow to speak about your results with _anyone_, not even family or friends. The Choosing Ceremony will be tomorrow night at the Hub. Please plan to arrive at least ten minutes before it begins. You are dismissed."

Everyone rushes to be the first to be out the door, except for the Abnegation. The Abnegation, who will not even stand until everyone else is out the door. They'll be waiting for well over an hour, letting other people get on the bus before them. And any other day, I would be doing that as well, but today, I don't think I can. So when nobody is looking, I sneak out of the cafeteria's fire exit, being careful not to push the alarm. I turn right in the alley, away from the buses, and take the way my brother had shown me years ago. Defying my faction's customs, I run.

Dad isn't at home when I get back. I'm confused for a minute, then I remember; he worked late the night before Tobias's Choosing Ceremony, said something about wanting to let him have some time to think before he became an adult. He said something yesterday about doing the same thing for me, though I don't quite understand why. Either way, I happy to have the house to myself.

I love drawing; always have, always will. My dad hated it, but my mom loved it and encouraged me. She even went as far as to give me a drawing pad and a box of colored pencils - something banned in Abnegation, who sees art as impractical and time appreciating it as time that could be spent helping others. I lock my bedroom door and retrieve my drawing pad and colored pencils from their hiding place underneath the floorboards in my closet. I sit at my desk and open the drawing pad to an open page. I grab a black pencil and place my head close to the pad as I begin.

Long, swooping lines. A million half-ovals for feathers. A sharp beak, partially open. I switch back and forth, between black, gray, and white, trying to find the perfect combination. Scaly feet tipped that end in curved talons. I smile as I lean back in my chair after finishing, a red pencil in my hand. It's a hawk - the one that I saw tattooed on the back of Tori's neck.

I stay in my room and draw until I get hungry. I make myself dinner, eat, then clean up, and go back upstairs. The scars on my back are scabbing - a good sign, meaning that they're healing. My stomach and sides, however, are still a mosaic of ugly colors. I douse a washcloth in cold water and place it across my abdomen. A sigh of relief escapes my lips as the throbbing of the bruises is alleviated. I keep the washcloth on my stomach for a few minutes, then disinfect my back.

My clock reads ten-thirty p.m. when I go back into my room. I should go to bed - in case Dad's in a bad mood when he gets home - but I have one more picture that I have to draw. I flip to another empty page and take out orange, yellow and red pencils.

The day of my brother's Choosing Ceremony, just before we left, he placed a blue crystal sculpture of a bird - something our mom gave us when we were little - on his desk as an act of defiance against our father. Dad hasn't gone into Tobias's room since he left, so he hasn't seen the sculpture. I draw a picture of a fire encased in a circle.

The Dauntless seal.

Tomorrow I will open my drawing pad to this page and set it - along with my box of colored pencils - on my bed as my own act of defiance against my father. But tonight I put them back in their hiding place and go to sleep for the last time in my bed.

My legs burn as I walk up the last of flight of stairs in the Hub to get to the Choosing Ceremony. Excitement runs through my veins as I nod my thanks to Andrew Prior - an Abnegation leader who is holding the door open for all the Abnegation who are walking in - as I walk in.

The room the ceremony is being held in is a buzz of noise and activity. I have not been in here since I was fourteen. The sixteen-year-olds of every faction and their families are here. This is the room where we will decide on the rest of our lives.

It is hard to maintain a composed exterior.

"Lucille!" A voice calls out.

I look around and see my father coming toward me. "Dad." I try not to cringe when he gives me a quick hug.

"Are you nervous?" He asks me.

"A little," I say and I am, but not for the reason he thinks. "I can't wait to join._"Dauntless,"_ I add in my mind.

He smiles and squeezes my shoulder gently. "Well, it won't be much longer." Then he goes to greet Jack Kang, the leader of Candor.

The sixteen-year-olds of every faction - myself included - arrange themselves in a semi-circle according to the alphabetical order of our last names. Abnegation is hosting this year's Choosing Ceremony, so once everyone is seated, my father - one of Abnegation's leaders - takes to the stage in the center of the room. Abnegation is hosting this year's Choosing Ceremony, so once everyone is seated, my father - one of Abnegation's leaders - stands at the podium between the Dauntless and the Erudite. He will make the opening address and read the names in reverse alphabetical order.

"Welcome," He says. "Welcome to the Choosing Ceremony. Welcome to the day we honor the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has a right to choose his own way in his world. Our dependents are now sixteen. They stand of precipice of adulthood and now it is up to them to decide what kind of people they will be." I try to focus my attention on the blue lanterns across the room, to fade into them so my anticipation won't show. "Decades ago, our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality - of humankind's inclination toward evil, in whatever form it is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed to be responsible for the world's disarray."

My eyes shift to the five bowls in the center of the room. They each hold one thing for the five factions. Soil for Amity, gray stones for Abnegation, glass for Candor, lit coals for Dauntless, and water for Erudite. I remember my brother letting his blood drip into the lit coals; I can see myself doing the same thing.

"Those who blamed aggression formed Amity."

I look over at the Amity. Dressed in varying shades of red and yellow, the brightness of their clothes hurts my eyes.

"Those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite."

I do not like Erudite. They have been releasing antagonistic reports about the Abnegation. Some of them accuse my father of abusing me and Tobias - which _is_ true - and others accuse the Abnegation of keeping goods such as fresh food and such from the other factions - which _isn't_ true.

"Those who blamed duplicity created Candor."

My aptitude test made it clear that I wouldn't make it in Candor.

"Those who blamed selfishness made Abnegation."

When I was little - before my father started beating me and my brother - I used to dream of joining Abnegation. Getting married, having kids, and spending my life doing selfless things such helping the factionless. Now? I can't imagine joining Abnegation.

"And those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless."

A cruel smile lift my lips for a brief moment. I remember once hearing someone from Dauntless say that bullying is sign of cowardice. Abuse is a type of bullying, right? This is going to be an easy choice.

"Working together, these five factions have lived in peace for many years, each contributing to a different sector of society. Abnegation has fulfilled our need for selfless leaders in government; Candor has provided us with trustworthy and sound leaders in law; Erudite has supplied us with intelligent teachers and researchers; Amity has understanding counselors and care-takers; and Dauntless provides us with protection from threats both within and without. But the reach of each faction is not limited to these areas. We give one another far more than can be adequately summarized. In our factions, we find meaning, we find purpose, we find life."

There's a motto in my Faction History textbook: _Faction before blood_. Faction before family. Faction before friends. Faction before anything else. Technically, I am putting faction before blood (before my father) since Dauntless was one of the factions I displayed an aptitude for. Right?

Dad adds, "Apart from them, we would not survive."

A heavy silence falls upon the room. I look down To be factionless is everyone's worse fear. To be factionless is to not fit in with any of the factions, to live homeless, without a purpose and without a reason to live.

He takes a deep breath before continuing "Therefore this day marks a happy occasion - the day on which we receive our new initiates, who will work with us toward a better society and a better world."

A round of applause follows the opening address. I try to focus my attention on the lanterns on the other side of the room again as my dad reads the first name. An Amity girl with red hair is the first to choose. She takes the knife she is offered and lets her blood fall on the soil, deciding to return to the faction from which she came. One by one, every sixteen-year-old steps out of the semi-circle and walks to the center of the room when their name is called. They make their choice, then stand behind their new faction, whether it be the one they grew up in or a new one.

All of them choose the faction of their origin until "James Tucker" is called upon.

I recognize James Tucker from my Faction History class. We sat next to each other. His face turns red - a color that contrasts with his electric blue hair - when he trips and he almost runs to the middle of the room. Dad offers him the knife and he accepts. The Dauntless sections gets loud for a minute when he jerks his hand over the Candor glass. He is the first faction transfer.

"Caleb Prior."

A boy with dark hair and grey Abnegation clothes steps out of the semi-circle. He is Andrew Prior's son. He accepts the knife. And does the one thing that sends the whole room into a frenzy.

He chooses Erudite.

_Erudite._

The Erudite, a lot of whom are a bunch are arrogant jerks who think they know it all. The crowd of Erudite grin smugly at each other. I watch as Caleb Prior walks over and stands behind the sea of blue. The Abnegation, whisper to each other tensely and angrily, and glare across the room at the other faction.

"Excuse me," My dad says, but he says it too softly. He tries again, this time shouting, "Quiet, please!"

The room goes silent.

He continues with the list of names, "Beatrice Prior"

Caleb Prior's sister. Her legs shake a little as she walks to the center of the room. I expect her to choose Abnegation, the faction she's originally from - as some kids do when their sibling chooses a different faction. She drags the knife across her palm and holds it over the Abnegation bowl, but then unexpectedly shifts her hand at the last second. Her blood droplets hit lit coals instead of grey stones.

My eyes widen. Will there be anyone joining Abnegation this year? If I weren't so intent on getting away from my abusive father, I would. Fortunately for Abnegation, the rest of its sixteen-year-olds. Until they come to me.

"Lucille Eaton."

I keep my eyes focused ahead of me as I make my way to the middle of the room. Dad smiles at me as he hands me my knife and I smile slightly back in return. _"Goodbye,"_ I think as I accept the knife. It stings when I dig the blade into my palm, but it doesn't hurt that much. Without so much as a second thought, I stick my hand over the Dauntless bowl.

The sizzle of my blood on the coals is music to my ears.

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><p><strong>AN: Was that good? I hope so 'cause I've already started on the fourth chapter! Don't forget to review!**


	4. Welcome to Dauntless

**A/N: Hey, y'all! I'm baack! Since I keep going days without updating (more Internet problems) I'll just let you guys read this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Eh, I've got nothing.**

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><p>Dad looks like he wants to slap me. I simply turn my back on him and walk over to the Dauntless section. Max, one of the Dauntless leaders, pats my shoulder and welcomes me into Dauntless. A man standing next to Max hands me a small bandage for my hand and sends me to the back of the Dauntless section.<br>I stare at the lanterns across the room, trying to keep my expression unreadable. My father continues to read the names. He manages to stay calm, but beneath the facade is barely restrained fury. He has no more punching bags now, no one left take his anger out on. But it's kind of hard to feel safe when he's just on the other side of the Dauntless section. When it feels like he might come over any time now and beat the living daylights out of me. I remind myself that he can't hurt me anymore, but I'm about to start bouncing in place by the time the last name is called.  
>After the last person - a girl in a yellow dress - makes her choice - Amity - it's time to leave. The Dauntless are the first to go. I feel like someone's burning a hole in my back, but I don't look back. I don't want to see the look my father is giving me from across the room. I'm not paying attention to where the Dauntless are going so I end up tripping on the steps. When I recover, they've started running.<br>A smile turns up my lips as I catch up. I hear shouts and laughter all around me. Running is makes me more breathless than walking, but its well worth it. The cool air makes me shiver when I get outside and the sun is starting to set. The Dauntless run out into the street, blocking a bus waiting outside of the Hub. A few people hurry to get out of the way. I push my legs to go as fast as they can so I can stay within the crowd. When I'm around the corner, I hear a blaring horn and a loud metal screeching.  
>"Oh, no," An Erudite boy murmurs. "Are we supposed to hop on that thing?"<br>"Yes," Beatrice, the only other Abnegation transfer, says breathlessly.  
>Everyone spreads out in a line of sorts. The train is big and magnificent as it approaches. The light on the front of it flickers on and off and all of the car doors are open. I flinch at the sheer size of the train as it passes. The Dauntless all pile into the cars as if its nothing, and to them it is.<br>I start running next to the train with the other transfers and grab the handle on the last car. The wind is strong when I manage to pull myself into the car and it makes me stumble into a Candor boy. "Watch it, Stiff," He snaps, shoving me away from him.  
>My cheeks heat up. "Sorry," I mumble, backing away from him until my back hits the wall. I sit near the doorway and watch the last of the transfers climb on. I watch an Erudite girl by the door reach out to grab the hand of an Erudite boy struggling to catch up to the train, but he's too far away. The boy falls to his knees by the tracks and puts his head in his hands. He is factionless now.<br>I look away. We haven't even made to the Dauntless headquarters yet and someone has already failed initiation. I keep myself from wondering who will be next by vaguely listening to everyone around me and watching the ever-changing collage of new and old buildings that the train passes. "I wish I could draw right now," I think to myself. "This would make a really good picture."  
>It's at least a half an hour before someone shouts, "They're jumping off!" And the boy is right: The Dauntless are jumping onto a rooftop.<br>I do a double take when I realize the tracks and the rooftop are both seven stories up and there is a gap between the two. "They're jumping off?" I whisper to myself.  
>"We have to jump off too, then," a Candor girl with crooked teeth and broad shoulders says.<br>"Great, because that makes perfect sense, Molly," responds the Candor boy who shoved me. "Leap off a train onto a roof."  
>"This is kind of what we signed up for, Peter," the girl - Molly - says. The boy - Peter - doesn't reply, but looks away and crosses his arms huffily.<br>I notice an Amity boy sitting against the wall with his knees pulled up to his chest. "Well, I'm not doing it," He says, his cheeks wet with tears.  
>"You've got to," Another Candor girl says, "or you fail. Come on, it'll be alright."<br>"He shakes his head. "No, it won't!" There's no mistaking the panic in his voice. "I'd rather be factionless than dead!"  
>"You can't force him," Beatrice tells the Candor girl.<br>I stare at the boy for a moment. I want to try to convince him to come, but I don't want to miss my chance to jump and end up factionless as well. So I just shake my head and turn away from him. Then I take a running start and jump out of the car.  
>There's a moment of terror when I sail over the gap and I'm terrified that I won't make it. Then my body collides with the roof. I land on my feet, and then I stumble and fall face-first into the gravel. The last of the transfers are jump off as I stand up and brush the gravel off my face and out of my clothes.<br>Someone shrieks and I look around, searching for the person it came from. A Dauntless girl stands at the edge of the rooftop, screaming and staring down at the ground. A Dauntless boy has his arms wrapped around her waist to keep her from falling.  
>"Rita," He says in calm voice. "Rita, calm down."<br>I look over the edge and see the body of a Dauntless girl on the ground. Her hair is spread out around her head like a fan and her limbs are bent at unnatural angles. I slap a hand over my mouth and turn away, trying to stay composed.  
>"Ooh. Scandalous! A Stiff's flashing some skin!" Peter shouts.<br>I look up. Stiff is slang for Abnegation and there are only two of us here. Peter is pointing at Beatrice, who has her sleeve pulled up above her elbow. Her cheeks turn pink and she pushes her sleeve down.  
>"Listen up!" Max shouts. He's standing on the ledge on the other side of the roof. "My name is Max! I am one of the leaders of your new faction! Several stories below us is the member's entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to jump off, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first."<br>"You want us to jump off a _ledge_?" asks an Erudite girl. She's standing next to me and I can see the shock written on her face. I don't know why she's surprised.  
>"Yes," Max says with an amused look.<br>"Is there water at the bottom or something?"  
>He raises his eyebrows. "Who knows?"<br>The crowd that's gathered splits in half, making a path for the initiates. At first, no one steps forward. I try to, but my knees are locked and when I try to move they start shaking.  
>Looking confident, Beatrice walks to the ledge. Max steps aside, giving her space. For a moment, Beatrice just stares over the ledge. Then she undoes the hooks on her outer shirt and slides it off, revealing a tighter gray t-shirt underneath. There are catcalls and shouts when she balls the shirt up and hurls it at Peter. Then she jumps.<br>The crowd of Dauntless members claps. Max watches her fall, and then looks up. "Who's next?"  
>I don't think - I walk to the edge of the roof. "Take your shirt off!" Someone yells. My whole body trembles when I climb onto the ledge. This building creates one side of a square with three other buildings. In the middle of the buildings is a square of concrete with giant hole in the middle of it.<br>It's now or never. Ignoring the catcalls behind me, I jump.  
>A shriek escapes my lungs. I watch the square get smaller and smaller as I free fall, then turn into a circle when I fall through the hole. I land on what feels like a slab of concrete at first, but then it gives way and makes me tosses me into the air before I land on it once more. The two impacts make me unintentionally groan - my back isn't completely healed from the belt whippings I got last night and this morning. Despite the pain from my back, I laugh hysterically - I landed on a net.<br>Two pairs of hands reach out to me from the edge of the net. I grab the first pair of hands I can get a hold of and scoot across to the edge. My legs wobble when I swing them over the edge of the net and I stumble into a person when I hop onto the wooden platform.  
>"S-sorry," I stutter, taking a small step back. My eyes shift up to the face of the person I stumble into and I gasp.<br>He's taller than when I last saw him, and more muscular as well. His hair a little longer, too, but not super long. Just like the image I saw in the mirror yesterday, the only thing that's unchanged about him are his eyes - they're still the same dark blue as they've always been. Nobody else in Dauntless could have eyes that exact shade of blue.  
>"Tobias," I whisper, my voice barely audible. "<em>Toby<em>."  
>He doesn't say anything, but the corners of his lips turn up in a small smile.<br>"Damn. Two Stiffs?" says a girl standing to Tobias. She has dark hair and three rings through her right eyebrow. She smirks at me.  
>"What's your name?" Tobias asks.<br>I'm confused - why does he ask what my name is when he already knows it? I answer anyway, "Lucille."  
>"Lucille," He repeats, looking at the girl. "Make the announcement, Lauren."<br>Lauren looks over her shoulder. "Second jumper - Lucille!" She calls out.  
>It's just then that I notice a crowd below the platform that we stand on. They cheer and pump their fists.<br>As another person falls into the net, Tobias puts a hand on my shoulder. "Welcome to Dauntless," He says.

* * *

><p>When all the initiates are on solid ground, Tobias and Lauren lead us down a long, narrow tunnel that is lit at long intervals. The walls of the tunnel are narrow and the ceiling slopes, making me feel slightly claustrophobic.<br>The two leaders stop at a fork in the tunnel and turn to face us. "This is where we split," Lauren says. "The Dauntless-born initiates are with me. I assume you don't need a tour of the place." She smiles and nods toward the right tunnel. The Dauntless-born initiates break away from the group and follow Lauren.  
>When they're gone, Tobias speaks up. "Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor." He glances at me as he says, "My name is Four."<br>"Four? Did he change his name? Or is that just a nickname that he got?  
>"Four?" Christina - one of the Candor transfers - says. "Like the number?"<br>"Yes," He says. "Is there a problem?"  
>"No."<br>"Good. We're about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It-"  
>"The Pit?" Christina snickers. "Clever name."<br>Tobias walks up to Christina and leans down so that his face is close to hers. He narrows his eyes and for a moment, he just stares at her. It's a scare tactic, obviously, something the two of us would use on each other sometimes whenever we argued.  
>"What's your name?" He asks in quiet voice.<br>"Christina," She peeps.  
>"Well, Christina," He says and the annoyance in his voice is clear as day to me, "if I wanted to put up with a bunch of Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction. The first lesson you will learn from me to keep your mouth shut. Got that?"<br>She nods.  
>Tobias gives me a look as he straightens up. I raise an eyebrow at him. Then he turns around and continues toward the end of the tunnel. We all follow him in silence.<br>"What a jerk," Christina grumbles  
>"I guess he doesn't like to be laughed at," Tris - Beatrice - murmurs.<br>Tobias pushes open of a set of double doors and leads us into the Pit.  
><em> "Whoa,"<em> I think, feeling my eyes widen.  
>"Oh, Christina whispers, "I get it."<br>The Pit is aptly named. It is a gigantic underground cavern that, in comparison to the tunnel which made me feel claustrophobic, makes me feel small. Uneven stone walls rise several stories up, and built into them are places for clothing, food, supplies. The paths that connect them are made of stone as well and have no railings on the edges to keep people from falling off of them. Creating the Pit's roof are panes of glass that make up the floor of another building that lets sunlight in. Blue lanterns that look a lot like the ones from the Choosing Ceremony hang over the paths and they grow brighter as the sun sets.  
>People dressed in black are everywhere, talking and shouting to each other. It's louder than anywhere else that I've been. I remember the rare times in Abnegation when Dad was in a good mood: quiet - often too quiet - and at times, forced and awkward. The scene in front of me is more appealing to me than my former Abnegation home.<br>"If you follow me, I'll show you the chasm," Tobias says. He phrases it like a suggestion, though it clearly isn't one.  
>He nods for us to follow and I study him as he leads us across the Pit. He's only grown a few inches in the past two years, but his height makes me feel short with my five-foot-one-inch stature. I didn't notice it at first, but there's a tattoo peeking out from the neckline of the black t-shirt he's wearing. He has a tattoo? When did he get it? I have a million questions that I want to ask him.<br>He takes us across the Pit to an iron barrier that rises just above my waist. The floor drops off on the other side of the barrier at a steep angle. I look over it and see fast, white-capped water that battles with the rock and sprays my face with a mist.  
>"The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy!" My brother shouts over the roar of the water. "A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You have been warned."<br>"Wow," I say quietly. A few of the other initiates murmur curiously as we move away from the chasm.  
>We're lead across the Pit again toward a gaping hole in the wall. The room on the other side is a dining hall full of dauntless people and it's bigger than the cafeteria at school. When we walk in, the Dauntless people all stand and applaud. I smile.<br>There's a mostly empty table at the side of the room that Tobias walks over and sits at. I sit on one side of him and Tris and Christina sit on the other side. In the middle of the table is a plate of food that I've never seen before: pieces of meat in the shape of circles and wedged between two circles of bread. I pick one up and examine it, holding it as if it's a bomb. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tris doing the same thing.  
>"It's beef," Tobias says. He pushes a small bowl full of red sauce toward each of us.<br>"You guys have never had a hamburger before?" Christina asks, looking at us like we're from another planet. I shake my head.  
>"No," Tris says. "Is that what it's called?"<br>"Stiffs eat plain food," Tobias says, nodding at Christina.  
>"Why?" She asks.<br>"Extravagance is considered self-indulgent and unnecessary," I explain.  
>"No wonder you left." She smirks.<br>Tris rolls her eyes. "Yeah. It was just because of the food."  
>I snort. The edges of Tobias's lips twitch.<br>The doors to the dining hall open and a silence falls over the room. A young man walks into the room. His dark hair is long and greasy-looking, like he hasn't washed it in days, and he has more face piercings than any other Dauntless that I've seen. He stops and scans the room and the iciness in his eyes makes me involuntarily shiver.  
>"Who's that?" Christina asks in a quiet hiss.<br>"His name is Eric," says Tobias. "He's a Dauntless leader."  
>"Seriously? But he's so young."<br>Tobias gives her a look. "Age doesn't matter here."  
>Eric stops scanning the room and starts toward our table. I look down at my hamburger and occupy myself with putting the red sauce on it when Eric sits down next to me.<br>"Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" He asks Tobias.  
>"This is Christina, Tris, and Lucille," Tobias says, gesturing to the three of us.<br>"Ooh, Stiffs," He says, smirking at Tris and me. "We'll see how long you last."  
>I open my mouth to tell him that I will last, but I quickly shut it. His smile tugs at the piercings in his lips and makes the holes that they're in bigger. I cringe and look down again. It looks both painful and scary at the same time. He taps his fingers against the table. His knuckles are scabbed over and look like they'll split if he clenches his hand into a fist.<br>"What have you been doing lately, Four?" He asks in a casual manner.  
>"Nothing, really," Tobias says. The way he sits - as tense and rigid as a steel beam, with the muscles in his arms noticeably tense - reminds me of when we both lived in Abnegation. He always sat this way around our father.<br>"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you, and you don't show up," Eric says. "He requested that I find out what's going on with you."  
>Tobias looks at Eric for a few seconds before talking. "Tell him that I am satisfied with the position I currently hold."<br>"So he wants to give you a job." Eric is acting casual, but there's an undertone of jealousy in his voice. _"Why would he be jealous of my brother?"_ I wonder.  
>"So it would seem."<br>"And you aren't interested."  
>"Tobias shakes his head, hiding frustration. "I haven't been interested for two years."<br>"Well," Eric says, standing up. "Let's hope he gets the point, then."  
>He pats Tobias on the shoulder, a little too roughly, and walks away. When he's gone, Tobias relaxes.<br>"Are you two… friends?" Tris asks. I don't have to ask to know the answer, though - no, they are not friends. The way he was sitting made that clear.  
>"We were in the same initiate class," he says. "He transferred from Erudite."<br>"Were you a transfer too?"  
>"I thought I would only have trouble with the Candor asking too many questions," He says, glancing at Tris. "Now I've got Stiffs, too?"<br>"It must be because you're so approachable," Tris says flatly. "You know. Like a bed of nails."  
>I cover a laugh with a cough, and then take a bite of my hamburger.<br>They stare at each other. Then Tobias says, "Careful, Tris." A Dauntless person at another table calls out "Four!" Tobias slips a small piece of paper into my lap, then turns to see who called out his nickname. I look at the paper.  
><em> Meet me at the dining hall at midnight. I'm glad to see you, Lucy. I missed you.<em>  
>A smile turns up my lips.<p>

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><p><strong>AN: Yay! Lucille has finally gotten to see Tobias! I was so happy when I got to this part! Please review!**


	5. Rules, Rankings, and a Reunion

**Disclaimer: I tried buying the copyrights of Divergent... I didn't get them. - sigh -**

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><p>Tobias vanishes after dinner without a word and leaves Eric to lead us down a series of dark hallways. Nobody told us to be quiet, but none of us speak. When Eric stops in front of a wooden door, we stop as well.<p>

"For those of you who don't know, my name is Eric," He says, crossing his arms. "I am one of the five leaders of Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I will oversee most of your training."

The thought of Eric overseeing my initiation makes me shudder. I don't think I'd mind if it was another Dauntless leader overseeing our initiation, but Eric? I heard somewhere once that first impressions are everything and Eric creeped me out when I first saw him walk into the dining hall.

"Some ground rules," He says. "You have to be in the training room by eight o'clock every day. Training takes place every day from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free to do whatever you like after six. You will also get some time off between each stage of initiation."

_Do whatever you like._ I feel my eyebrows rise at that. In Abnegation, you're not allowed to do what you want. You're supposed to always think of other people's needs before your own. I like to draw, but I left my drawing pad and colored pencils at home. I don't know what else I like to do.

"You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless," Eric continues. "Behind this door is the room where you will be sleeping for the next few weeks. In the first stage of initiation, we keep transfers and Dauntless-born initiates separate, but that doesn't mean that you are evaluated separately. At the end of initiation, you're rankings will be determined in comparison with the Dauntless-born initiates. And they are better than you already. So I expect-"

"Rankings?" asks the same brown-haired Erudite girl who questioned Max on the roof earlier. "Why are we ranked?"

Eric smiles and the smile looks disturbing. "Your ranking serves two purposes," He replies. "The first is that it determines the order in which you will select a job after initiation. There are only a few _desirable_ positions available."

Uh-oh. This does not sound good.

"The second purpose," He says, "is that only the top ten initiates are made members."

I feel like I got punched in the gut. Only the top ten? What the hell? "What?" Christina asks with the disbelief that I'm sure everyone is feeling in her voice.

"There are eleven Dauntless-borns and ten of you," Eric continues. "Four initiates will be cut at the end of stage one. The remainder will be cut after the final test."

The elation I've been feeling about finally being able to leave Abnegation falters.

"What do we do if we're cut?" Peter asks.

Eric sounds completely indifferent as he answers the question. "You leave the Dauntless compound and live factionless."

The brown-haired girl slaps her hand over her mouth to suppress a sob. I have to force myself not to let the shock I feel show on my face. I remember my mother taking me and my brother with her one day to help feed the factionless not too long before she passed away. Being barely six-years-old at the time, I saw two factionless men start fighting. Before anyone could break them apart, one of them pulled a rusty switchblade and stabbed the other in the stomach. It terrified me. _"I can't live factionless,"_ I think. _"I just can't."_

"But that's… not fair!" Molly, the crooked-toothed Candor girl says. "If we had known-"

Eric cuts her off. "Are you saying that if you had known this before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" He asks, sounding angry. "Because if that's the case, you should get out now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward."

Eric pushes the door to the dormitory open.

"You chose us. Now we have to choose you."

* * *

><p>The hands on my watch read 11:49 p.m. I wait for them to read 11:50 before sitting up and swinging my legs over the edge of my bed. My brown curls fall into my face when I bend over to slide my sneakers on and I push them behind my ear.<p>

There were stacks of clothing that the Dauntless provided for us were laying on each of the beds when we walked into the dormitory. After Eric left, most of the initiates changed into them. I put on the black pair of pants that were on my bed and took my outer shirt off, but I didn't change into the black shirt. I don't care if anyone sees me in my bra, but then I remembered the bruises on my stomach and the belt marks on my back. I couldn't let everyone see that.

I make sure all of the other initiates are fast asleep, and then I slip out of the dormitory, making sure the shut the door behind me.

The same blue lanterns that light the Pit are at the end of each hallway, but between them, it's dark and so I keep tripping on the uneven floor. The Pit is almost empty when I get there and the lanterns are dim. The dining hall looks different now that it's devoid of life. At dinnertime, it was loud and full of people and happy. Now, it's empty and quiet and eerie.

My watch reads 11:58. I sit at a table at the back of the room and drum my fingers against it. Two minutes later, at midnight exactly, Tobias enters the dining hall. It takes him a second to find me and when he does, I'm already out of my seat. He walks towards me and we meet each other in the middle of the room.

"Toby." A smile turns up my lips. "I… I missed you. So much."

Tobias smiles as well. Then he pulls me into a hug. "I missed you too, Lucy."

I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head on his chest._ He is safe. I am safe._ The sense of relief that overcomes me is nearly unbearable.

I don't know how long we just stand there and hug each other without saying anything. It could've been just a couple minutes; it could've been a couple hours. I don't know and I don't care.

Tobias is first to pull away, though when he does, it's with obvious reluctance. "How are you?" He asks, sitting down at a nearby table.

"Eh, okay." I shrug and sit down next to him. "What about you? You're here, so you've obviously survived initiation and it looks like the Dauntless mania hasn't taken your sanity."

He laughs. "I'm sane, or at least I think I am." I laugh. It feels good; especially after having haven't done so in a very long time.

"So… Four? What kind of a name is that?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a nickname," He says. "I don't… I don't want anyone knowing… what… who I really am."

"I… understand," I say slowly. A silence that's deeper than words falls upon us. It takes a few minutes before I decide to change the subject. "So you're the instructor for the transfers…" I state.

He nods. "Max offered me the job a few weeks ago and I accepted it because I thought that if…" He trails off.

"If I was one of the transfers, you'd want to keep an eye on me?"

"Something like that." He shrugs. "Nobody knows that we're siblings, so don't expect me to treat you any different than the other initiates."

"I don't," I tell him. "Especially after the look you gave me in the tunnel."

A mischievous gleam appears in his eyes. "What look?" He asks, trying and failing to sound innocent.

I roll my eyes and push his shoulder. "Don't play dumb. That 'don't-you-even-think-about-saying-anything' look you gave me when you said your name is Four. And after you told Christina to keep her mouth shut."

"I was making sure you knew that I didn't want anyone knowing my real name."

"I think I figured that out when you helped me off the net and asked me what my name is, even though you already know it." I push his shoulder again and we both laugh.

"You should get back to the dormitory," Tobias says when we stop. "Don't want to be late for training tomorrow." He stands up.

"Yeah, that wouldn't be good." I stand as well.

Tobias places a hand on the small of my back - right on top of my healing scars. "Are you okay?" He asks when I wince.

"Yeah." I nod. "Dad was, um… particularly brutal yesterday and… um, this morning."

Tobias tenses up for a moment when I say 'dad'. "Let's just… call him Marcus now, okay?" He suggests. "I don't think he deserves to be called dad."

"Okay," I agree. He takes his hand from my back and wraps his arm around my shoulder.

The Pit, like the dining hall, is now completely devoid of life. Even though I tell him that he doesn't have to, Tobias walks with me back to the dormitory. When we get there, I push the door open just enough to pop my head in and look around.

"Everyone's still asleep," I say, shutting the door. "I should get to sleep, too."

Tobias nods.

I hesitate for a moment before pulling him into another hug. "I love you, Toby," I whisper.

"I love you too, Lucy," He whispers back.

I feel a few tears escape my closed eyes. When we pull away, he smiles at me and then walks away. I slip into the dormitory and make my way over to my bed. I slip my shoes off and, since everybody else is sleeping, change into the black Dauntless shirt. I fall asleep with a smile on my face, feeling the same sense of relief I did two years ago after Tobias left Abnegation.

_ I am safe._

_ I am safe._

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><p><strong>AN: I know this chapter isn't that long, but this is the second chapter today and I'm still working on the next chapter. Let me know what y'all think!**


	6. Breaking Free

**A/N: I stayed up really late working on this chapter and then finished it just now. Hope y'all like it.**

**Disclaimer: I just found out that owning all three of the Divergent books does not mean that I own Divergent. I will now go mope in the corner with a bowl of ice cream.**

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><p>I stare at the box of hair dye, scrutinizing it. The box sits on a shelf with other boxes of hair dye in various colors. The color of dye I'm looking at is red - a bright, fiery red.<p>

My watch says 7:29 a.m. I woke up about an hour ago. All the other initiates were still asleep so I went down to the girls' bathroom and took a nice, long shower, making sure to disinfect my scabbed-up back in the process. It was around seven o'clock when I entered the Pit, which was already buzzing with people. I stood near the chasm, watching people walk by for a good fifteen minutes before working up the courage to walk into one of the stores built into the rock walls.

And that's how I found myself staring at a box of hair dye. Each Dauntless member gets a number of points to spend each month and the dye costs one of them. I think about last night, about when I asked about Tobias's nickname, Four, and how he said that he didn't want anyone knowing that he's Marcus Eaton's son. I don't want anyone knowing that I'm Marcus Eaton's daughter, but I can't think of a nickname for myself. I pick up the red hair dye.

On my way out of the store, I spot a drawing pad and a package of colored pencils. I smirk and pick those up as well.

* * *

><p>"The first thing you will learn today is how to shoot a gun. The second thing is how to win a fight. Thankfully, if you are here, you already know how to get on and off a moving train, so I don't need to teach you that." Tobias hands one initiate a gun and walks on to the next one. I stare at him when he walks to me and puts a gun into my hand, but he doesn't look at me.<p>

_ "Nobody knows that we're siblings, so don't expect me to treat you any different than the other initiates."_ My talk with Tobias is still fresh in my mind. Last night, we were laughing and smiling and it was as if we haven't been apart for the past two years. Today is a completely different story however.

Today, we are not brother and sister. I am an initiate and Tobias isn't Toby - he is my instructor. He is Four.

"Initiation is divided into three stages. We will measure your progress and rank you according to your performance. The stages are not weighed equally in determining your final rank, so it is possible, though difficult, to drastically improve your rank over time."

I look at the gun in my hand and then at my brother. I have never held a gun in my life and, two years ago, Tobias hadn't either. He passed the guns out casually, as if they were textbooks, like the ones my teachers passed out during school last year. The weapon in my hand scares me. It makes me feel as if, just by touching it, I could severely hurt someone.

"We believe that preparation eradicates cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear," Tobias says. "Therefore each stage of initiation is intended to prepare you in a different way. The first stage is primarily physical; the second, primarily emotional; the third, primarily mental."

Peter yawns, acting as if the gun in his hand isn't a dangerous weapon. "But what… What does firing a gun have to do with… bravery?"

Tobias has one gun left. He flips it in his hand, presses the barrel to Peter's forehead and clicks a bullet into place. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't find the look on Peter's face a little funny.

"Wake. Up." Tobias snaps in a voice I never heard him use before. "You are holding a loaded gun, you idiot. Act like it."

The room is silent enough that you could hear a pin drop. Tobias lowers the gun and Peter glares at him, his green eyes hard and more awake now.

"And to answer your question… you are far less likely to soil your pants and cry for your mother if you're prepared to defend yourself." Tobias casually walks to the end of the row and turns on his heel, like nothing happened. "This is also information you may need later in stage one. So, watch me."

He faces the wall with ten pieces of plywood with three red circles painted on them - targets. He stands tall and straight, with his feet spread apart and his gun held firmly between his hands. Then he fires and the bang makes me flinch. A small hole appears in the middle circle, showing where the bullet went.

Who is this person? He definitely isn't my brother.

I wipe my palms - which are all sweaty - on my pants and turn to face my own target. I grip my gun firmly with both hands and go to squeeze trigger, but before I can, the bang of another gun going off makes me jump and drop my gun. Embarrassment fills me as I quickly retrieve it.

Peter - who's standing near me and whose target is next to mine - laughs. "Afraid of the gun, Stiff? Are you sure you belong in Dauntless?"

"Shut up," I say, feeling my cheeks burn._ Stupid, stupid, stupid. I can't believe I just did that!_

I face my target again and wrap my hands around the gun again. Two more gunshots go off, but they don't make me jump this time. Both of my index fingers squeeze the trigger. A hole appears in the wall next to my target. The bang hurts my ears and the recoil jerks my hands back, making me smack myself in the nose.

It takes a couple tries before I can keep the gun from hitting me when it recoils and another couple tries before I manage to hit the target. Within the first half hour, I manage to hit the center of the target. A feeling of accomplishment fills me.

Tobias dismisses us for lunch four hours later at noon. While all the other initiates exit the room, I stay and fire three more shots. Two of them hit the center of the target.

"Lucille," Tobias says when I set the gun down. My eyes meet his for a moment, and then shoot to the door. Everyone else has left. I glance at him again. "Don't be afraid of the gun," He tells me. "It's not going to hurt you unless you act stupid and purposely point it at yourself."

My cheeks warm with embarrassment. "Okay." I turn and walk to the doorway.

"Also," He adds. I freeze in mid-step. "I saw you with that hair dye this morning…" I look over my shoulder at Tobias. He is wearing a wicked grin. "Do it."

The embarrassment quickly vanishes. I grin back at him. "Alright." Then I leave.

Five minutes later, I'm sitting at a table in the dining room with Tris, Christina, and another Candor transfer named Al.

"Okay, I understand if you don't remember me, but Christina?" I stare at Al in disbelief. "How could you _not_ remember _her_?"

"I just don't, okay?" Al says. "I don't remember either of you."

"Oh, come on," Christina says to Al as she makes a sandwich. "You don't remember me? We were in Math together just a few _days_ ago. And I am _not_ a quiet person."

"Yeah!" I agree.

"I slept through Math most of the time," Al responds. "It was first hour!"

"What about you?" Christina asks Tris. "Do you remember?" Tris doesn't reply; she just stares into space. Christina snaps her fingers in front of Tris's face. "Tris! You in there?"

Tris jumps, obviously startled. "What? What is it?"

"I asked if you ever remember taking a class with me," Christina says. "I mean, no offense, but I probably wouldn't remember if you did. All the Abnegation looked the same to me. I mean, they still do, but now you're not one of them."

Tris and I both stare at her. I don't think I've ever heard someone say something so bluntly in my entire life.

"Sorry, am I being rude?" asks Christina. "I'm used to just saying whatever is on my mind. Mom used to say that politeness is deception in pretty packaging."

Tris gives a short laugh. "I think that's why our factions don't usually associate with each other," She says. I smirk.

Will, an Erudite transfer with shaggy blond hair, comes up to our table. "Can I sit here?" He asks, tapping the table with his finger.

Christina gives him a look and says, "What, you don't want to hang out with your Erudite buddies?"

"They aren't my buddies," Will says, setting his plate down. "Just because we were in the same faction doesn't mean we get along. Plus, Edward and Myra are dating, and I would rather not be the third wheel."

I glance at Edward and Myra, the other Erudite transfers, who are sitting two tables away. Myra pauses in cutting her food to kiss Edward. I look away. I've never really seen anyone kiss before, not even my own parents.

"Do they have to be so _public_?" I say, making a face.

"She just kissed him." Al frowns. "It's not like they're stripping naked."

"A kiss isn't something you should do in public," Tris says, agreeing with me.

Christina, Al, and Will all give us the same look. "What?" Tris and I say at the same time.

"Your Abnegation is showing," says Christina. "The rest of us are okay with a little affection in public.

Tris shrugs. "Oh. Well… I guess we'll have to get over it, then." I nod.

Will grins and his green eyes flash with mischief. "Or you can stay frigid. You know. If you want."

Christina throws a roll at him. He catches it and bites it. "Don't be mean to them," She says. "Frigidity is in their nature. Sort of like being a know-it-all is in yours."

My cheeks heat up at the comment. "I am not frigid!" Tris exclaims, her face turning red as well..

"Don't worry about it," Will says. "It's endearing. Look, you're all red."

Everyone laugh as Tris's face gets even redder, if that's possible, and my cheeks heat up more. Then, after a minute, we both laugh as well.

In Abnegation, Marcus never really let me or Tobias out, always saying that we'd embarrass him if he let us out in public. It was almost always just me and my brother at home, so neither of us had any friends. Dauntless initiation has just started and I've already made four friends. If I had a choice between going back to Abnegation and staying here in Dauntless, I would decide to stay without a second thought.

* * *

><p>After lunch, Tobias takes us to a new room. It's giant, with a large circle painted in the center of the wood floor. A green chalkboard on the left wall has our names written on it in alphabetical order. On the other side of the room, black punching bags hang at three-foot intervals.<p>

We line up behind them and Tobias stands in the middle, where we all can see him.

"As I said this morning," He says, "next you will learn how to fight. The purpose of this is to prepare you to act; to prepare your body to respond to threats and challenge - which you will need, if you intend to survive life as a Dauntless."

Survive life as a Dauntless? I can't even imagine what life as a Dauntless is like. What was Tobias thinking when he chose this faction?

"We will go over technique today, and tomorrow you will start to fight each other," Tobias continues. "So I recommend that you pay attention. Those who don't learn fast will get hurt."

Tobias names a few basic punches and kicks, and then demonstrates them, first against the air, and then against the punching bag.

This is easier than firing the gun, much easier. I guess twelve years of abuse sort of prepared me for it. Hitting the tough fabric of the punching bag hurts my hands and feet, but I ignore the sting.

"Use your knees and elbows." I glance up and see Tobias watching me. "You're small, so you don't have a lot of muscle. You can put more power behind your knees and elbows."

I nod, wiping sweat off my forehead. Then I ram my elbow into the punching bag. It shifts, not as much, but more than when I was using my fists. I glance up again and see that Tobias has moved on.

When Tobias dismisses us, I am sore and sweaty all over. Wondering what good that shower I took this morning did, I walk toward the girls' bathroom, then stop. The hair dye. I shoved it in one of the drawers under my bed before training. I'm about to start towards the dormitory when someone calls out, "Lucille!"

I turn around and see Will and Al walking my way. "Yeah?"

"Wanna get tattooed?" Al asks, sounding eager.

I smile. "Um… sure?" I reply, silently telling myself that I'll dye my hair later. "What are you gonna get?"

"I don't know," Al says.

"What about a spider?" Will suggests.

The way to the Pit is spent deciding on what tattoos we're going to get. When we walk into the tattoo parlor, Al has decided to get a spider. As a skinny man covered in tattoos begins to draw a spider on his forearm, I walk around the room, looking at all the art on the walls. I spent sixteen years in a sea of gray; the only real color I saw at home was in our food and my color pencils. There is not a blank space on any of the walls in this room - there is art everywhere. I vaguely notice Tris and Christina come in and I see them get tattooed as well, but my attention is fixed on the art. It's amazing in here.

I stop at a picture that's a cluster of swirls. It reminds me of the wind and I smile. My mother used to pretend to make stuff out of the wind for my brother and me. Swords, kites, jump ropes. One time she made two guitars out of the wind and I made Tobias play and sing a song with me. My mom laughed as we sang and made the words up as we went along. At the end, she clapped and we bowed. I don't have a lot of favorite memories, but that is one of them.

I carefully take the picture from the wall and turn to find someone so I get this tattooed on me. The man who drew Al's tattoo offers to do mine. "Where do you want it?" He asks.

I think about it for a moment. "Here." I touch the top of my back. That's where a lot of my scars begin. I never want to see those scars ever again.

"That's right on the bone," He tells me. "It'll hurt like hell if I do there. Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," I say without hesitation.

The tattoo needle stings, but it doesn't hurt _that_ bad, even when I feel it on my spine. Nothing can hurt worse than being struck multiple times with a belt every day. When he's done, I thank him and then leave.

The dormitory is empty when I get to it, probably because it's time for dinner. I retrieve the box of hair dye from where I put it in one of the draws under my bed, then go to the girls' bathroom.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: How did y'all like that? Oh, and I've gotta say thanks to HeartOfGold7 for pointing out a repeating scene in Chapter Four. That chapter has been edited and does not have any more repeating scenes now. And this one does not either.**


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